Inside the Nightingale hospital
WORK is well under way to turn the Manchester Central exhibition centre into a huge field hospital for virus patients.
NHS leaders, the armed forces and contractors are working around the clock to complete the Nightingale North West.
It will house 650 beds for Covid-19 patients, with capacity for another 100 beds, should they be required.
The majority of patients will be those in process of being ‘stepped-down’ from ICU and critical care beds at neighbouring hospitals.
The aim is to nurse coronavirus patients until they are well enough to continue their recovery at home, though NHS bosses say they are prepared to provide end-of-life care.
The hospital will be staffed by consultants, junior doctors, nurses, healthcare support workers, physiotherapists, pharmacists, occupational therapists and social workers, as well as non-clinical support workers and administrators.
Work started last Monday, with NHS chiefs aiming to have the first 36 beds up and running by Easter Sunday.
A team from the Royal Engineers with expertise in setting up field hospitals have been drafted in to work with the NHS and contractors Vinci Construction PLC.
Ian Williamson, project lead, said: “The point we’re at now is that the bed cubicles have started to be built, all of the ancillary services are being prepared and we are on track for delivering our new temporary hospital on Easter Sunday. It has only been possible thanks to the incredible teamwork approach from the NHS, but also the British Army, the many building contractors who have been here and, of course, the venue itself who have been kind enough to let us use this space.”